As a result of poor diet and fitness, Americans are faced with growing concerns in regards to health. Issues such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are rising all over the country, and the state of Minnesota is no exception.

Obesity

According to state obesity rates, 24.6 % of adults and 23% of children in Minnesota are either overweight, or are clinically obese. Not only are these statistics alarming, but they are costing the state $1307 million dollars a year. In the state of Minnesota there are currently no state laws addressing school nutrition, mandatory BMI screenings or establishing state nutrition task forces, although laws addressing physical activity in school age children are present. However, the University of Minnesota School of public health and Health Partners Research Foundation researchers have allocated $7million to open a Childhood Obesity Center in Minnesota that will interactively educate parents and children of preschool age.

Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Minnesota, which accounts for over a fifth of all deaths. Every year almost 8,000 Minnesotans die from heart disease. Each year over 25,000 acute heart disease cases lead to hospitalization, and approximately 3.2% of Minnesotans have had a heart attack at least once in their lifetime. In Minnesota, cardiovascular disease related costs annually run at 1 billion in hospital fees alone. The risk factors associated with heart disease include; high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, tobacco use, being overweight or obese, and lack of exercise.

Diabetes

One in five Minnesotans has or is at high risk of being diagnosed with diabetes. 294,000 Minnesotans have diabetes, and 971, 000 have a form of pre-diabetes. Every year 15,000 Minnesotans are newly diagnosed. Over the past decade diabetes in Minnesota has increased by 50 % and is now the 6th leading cause of death in the state. The annual cost of diabetes in Minnesota is $2.3 billion, which includes medical costs and unemployment and disability compensation. The risk factors associated with diabetes include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tobacco use, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Cancer

Approximately half of all Minnesotans will be diagnosed with a serious form of cancer at some point in their lifetime, and about 25% of those cases will result in death. Cancer risk increases with age, and roughly 55% of Minnesotans who are diagnosed with cancer are people age 65 and older. Men are at high risk of developing prostate cancer. In 2007, 33.9% of men in Minnesota were reported to be diagnosed with the disease, and 10% of those died. For women breast cancer is the dominant danger. In 2007, 30.9% of Minnesotan women were diagnosed with the disease, and 14% of those died. The risk factors associated with cancer are tobacco use, poor diet, obesity, genetics, alcohol abuse, exposure to carcinogenic substances, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Educating young Minnesotans and their parents about the importance of good nutrition and an active lifestyle is the key to the bringing these statistics down in regards to the number of Minnesotans who are diagnosed as obese, or with heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.